Buoyant electric cable



Marchv 12, 1946. y H. l.. BEEDE i 2,396,273

BUOYANT ELECTRI C CABLE Y Original Filed Feb. 6, 1943 ERTH.

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Patented Mar. l2, 1946 BUOYANT ELECTRIC CABLE Harry L. Beede, Fort Lee, N.

Okonite-Callender Cable Company,.

rated, Paterson, N. Jersey J., assigner to The Incorpo- J., a corporation of New Original application February 6, 1943, Serial No. 474,932. Divided and this application January 5,1944, Serial No. 517,165

10 Claims.

My invention relates -to an improvement in buoyant electric cable, namely, electric cables of the type wherein the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to oat in a medium such as sea water.

Some of the objects of my invention are to provide a buoyant cable having a hollow core which will remain watertight indefinitely, and a buoyant cable' which while its core is hollow is highly resistant to crushing.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of one embodiment of my invention; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views of two other embodiments.

Referring to the drawing in detail and rst of all to,Fig.,1: 2 designates a Cylindrical member, composed of plywood, and provided with hermetically sealed heads 4 of plywood.

This composite structure for descriptive purposes I shall refer to hereinafter as a cell.

There are a plurality of these cells arranged along the center of the cable, adjacent cells being spaced from each other by suitable spacers 6, preferably of resiilent material such as cellular rubber, for example.

The cells constructed as described are extremely resistant to crushing but if deemed necessary tnis resistance may be increased by maintaining the cells under internal superatmospheric pressure, say from "I5 to -100 pounds per square inch.

Each cell is preferably enclosed in metal 8 which may take the form of sheet metal, or a coating or a covering, for example, of metal film, metal foil, metalized paper, etc., all referred to hereinafter as metal. The primary function of the metal 8 is to render the cell moisture and liquid tight.

IIJ designates the cable conductor which may be stranded directly about the assembly of cells and spacers, although I prefer to enclose the celland-spacer assembly in a water-impervious rubber-like sheath I2 as illustrated and to strandthe conductor directly about this sheath.

About the conductor I0 is an outer non-metallic, flexible, waterproof sheath I4, such as a sheath of rubber, which is vulcanized in place.

When employing the inner sheath I2, and when using rubber spacers, it will be appreciated that during thevulcanizing of the outer and inner sheaths there will be a bonding of the spacers and the inner sheath, so that a dam is provided against the passage of water along the interior of the cable.

In the embodiment of my invention` as illustrated in Fig. 2, my improved buoyant cable comprises a plurality of plywood cylinders ISA, composed'of alternate plies or layers of wood and metal.y These cylinders are hermetically sealedately about the cell-and-spacer assembly, al-

though I prefer to enclose this assembly in a water-impervious rubber-like sheath I2 and to strand the conductor directly about this sheath.

I4 designates an outer, Ynon-metallic, flexible, waterproof sheath such as a sheath of rubber, which is vvulcanized in place.

As pointed out in connection with Fig. 1, when employing the inner sheath I2, the same becomes bonded to the spacers during the vulcanizing operation, to provide a dam against the passage of water along the interior of the cable.

The embodiment of my invention as illustrated l in Fig. 3 is identical with that of Fig. 2, except that each cell is enclosed in metal 8, which may take the form of sheet metal or a coating or a covering, for example, of metal lm, metal foil, metallized paper, etc., all referred to as metal. As in the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Fig. 1, the metal 8 seals each cell against the entry of moisture and water.

In all embodiments of my invention it is to be understood that the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the cable to float :In a medium such as sea water, for instance.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that my construction provides a buoyant cable wherein the center or core cells while extremely buoyant at the same time are highly resistant to crushing, so that damage to these cells either during manufacture of the cable or when in service is prevented.

This application is a division of my copending l application Serial No. 474,932, filed February 6,

What I claim is:

1. A buoyant demic cable 1n which the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to plies, increase the re' lioat in sea water, the combination ci. a plurality of center or core cells each comprising a plywood cylinder, heads forl the cylinder hermetically sealed in place, each cell being enclosed in metal and under superatmospheric internal pressure, spacers intermediate adjacent cells, a conductor stranded about the assembly of cells and spacers, and an outer, ilexible, water-impervious sheath.

2. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to lfloat in sea water, the combination of a plurality of center or core cells each cell comprising a hermetically sealed plywood cylinder composed of alternate plies of wood and metal, hermetically sealed heads for each cylinder, spacers intermediate adjacent cells, a conductor stranded about this assembly of cells and spacers, and an cuter, flexible, water-impervious sheath.

3. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight to volume ratio vis such as to enable the same to float in sea water, the combination of a plurality of plywood cylinders composed of alternate wooden and metal plies, heads for said cylinders, hermetically sealed in place and composed of the same material as the cylinders, spacersintermediate adjacent cylinders, a conductor about the assembly, and an outer, ilexible, waterwimpervious sheath.

4. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight` to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to float in sea water, the combination of a pluun rality of center or core cells, each comprising a hermetically sealed plywood cylinder composed of alternate plies of wood and metal, hermetically sealed heads vfor each cylinder, spacers interme diate adjacent cells, a rubber-dike, water-impero" vious sheath about the assemblyof cells and spacers, a conductor about the said sheath, and an outer, ilexible, waterimperyious sheath.

5. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the saine to lloat in sea water, the combination of a plu-a rality of plywood cylinders composed of alternate Wooden and metal plies, heads for said cylinders hermetically sealed in place and composed of the same material as the cylinders, spacers intermediate adjacent cylinders, a rubberlilze, water impervious sheath about the assembly, a con-n ductor about said sheath, aid an outer, flexible, water-impervious sheath.

6. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to oat in sea water, the combination or a plurality of center or core cells each comprising a her-l .2 aecomo metically sealed plywood cylinder composed of alternate plies of wood and metal, hermetically sealed heads for the cylinders, metal enclosing each cell, spacers intermediate adjacent cells, a conductor about the cell and spacer assembly, and an outer enclosing exible, water-impervious sheath.

7. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to float in sea water, the combination of a plu rality of center or core cells each comprising e hermetically sealed'plywood cylinder composed of alternate plies of wood and metal, hermetically sealed heads for the cylinders, metal enclosing each cell, spacers intermediate adjacent cells, a rubber-like, Water-impervious sheath about the cell-and-spacer assembly, a conductor about said sheath, and an outer enclosing flexible, waterimpervious sheath.

' 8. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to lloat in sea water, the combination of a plurality of center or core cells each comprising a heru metically sealed plywood cylinder composed of alternate plies 'of wood and metal, hermetically sealed heads for the cylinders, each head being composed of the same material as the cylinder,

metal enclosing each cell, spacers intermediate adjacent cells, a conductor about the cell-and- 'spacer assembly, and an outer enclosing flexible,

` sure, spacers intermediate adjacent cells, a conductor stranded about this assembly of cells and spacers, and an outer, exible, water-impervious sheath.

10. A buoyant electric cable in which the weight to volume ratio is such as to enable the same to float in sea water, the combination of a plurality of plywood cylinders composed of alternate wooden and metal plies, heads for said cylinders hermetically sealed in place and composed of the same material as the cylinders, said cells being under internal superatmospheric pressure, spacersv intermediate adjacent cylinders, a conductor about the assembly, and an outer, exible, water-impervious sheath.

HARRY L. BEEDE. 

